All the glory

What I was going to post about today, I still am, but it has a little added significance because of the death of two American legends.

I have been so blessed through this move. Actually, during every one of our moves I can see the hands of God all over them. Even last year with the slash-and-dump movers, overall it went better than it could have. Throughout my life I can see the fingerprints of God and His blessings on my life. I can look back at each place we’ve lived and understand why He had us live in the houses and neighborhoods we lived and why we attended the churches we did. I may not have understood it at the time, but of course, hind sight…

I owe all of our “luck” with this and every event in our life to God. I actually don’t believe in luck, as nothing happens by chance. Even things that I might not have asked for, things that might not have seemed good or lucky, I still thank God for. They have taught me more about Him, more about others and more about myself.

So as blessed as we are with this house and neighborhood and all the benefits it seems to have, I can only thank God for it. And for the fact that we have to spend the next five weeks in a hotel, I can only thank God for it. I will grow through this and know that I was blessed. I may not be able to see that while living through it, but I know after the fact I will look back and be able to count the blessings.

This leads me to the larger question of…What of those blessings? How should we act and what should we do because of and through our lives? We have tremendous opportunities each day and come into contact with tens of thousands of people throughout our lives. How are we to take those blessings, the good times the bad times, and help others?

You won’t have a fulfilling life until you put your life in the hands of Jesus. You won’t be fulfilling to others until the work of your hands includes His guidance. You may impact millions of people’s lives, but will that impact be fulfilling (to you or them)? You may only impact a small number of lives, your children perhaps, but that impact should really mean something.

An eternal impact is much more valuable than a superficial feeling. I can say that Michael Jackson’s career had an impact on my life. I grew up listening to Thriller. I could moonwalk with the best of the white kids. He (and Madonna) made pop in the 80s. Farrah Fawcett was just barely before my time. I was growing up when she was on tv, but I was too young to watch (maybe it’s just that I was too young to remember watching). But who didn’t have feathered bangs back then? But, what of it? Those impacts were superficial. There is an eternal side to everyone that we must focus on.*

In the end God wants to bless us, no matter what we go through: “For I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  (Jeremiah 29:11) It is our duty to call them blessings, to take our gratitude and give it away. Call it what you may: evangelizing, proselytizing, preaching, whatever. God has a gift and it’s too great for just one person.

Make sure that you recognize your blessings and from where they come. Jesus paid a huge price for them. And take that gratitude and make a true impact on the lives of others.

*Please don’t see this as me making light of either death. I am sad for their families and pray for comfort for everyone who mourns.